I want to begin with an old Indian story. It concerns an Indian Chief named Big
Feather who ruled his tribe. As Big Feather was aging and finding it more and
more difficult to rule the tribe, he had to select a replacement for himself.
Big Feather had three sons, Running Deer, Broken Arrow, and Falling Rock. And he
decided to have a contest among his sons to determine which one would be the
next chief of the tribe.

The contest was really quite simple. They were to leave the tribe and go into
the forest to gather three items: 1. A bear skin. 2. An eagleís feather. 3. A
ball of spiderís web that weighed 16 ounces. A bear would need to be killed in
order to get his skin. This would demonstrate bravery. An eagleís feather would
be difficult to find, as eagles were rare in those parts. This would demonstrate
ingenuity. A ball of spiderís web would take a long time to make. This would
demonstrate persistence. When the items were gathered, they could return to the
tribe. The first one to return with these three items would be chief of the
tribe.

So, the contest was explained to Running Deer, Broken Arrow, and Falling Rock.
They were given two days at home to think about their strategy. At the end of
the two days, they were sent into the forest to retrieve their items. After one
week, none of the Indians had returned. After a second week, they still hadnít
returned. The suspense was growing daily as to who would return first with these
items. Some thought that Running Deer would be the first one to return, as he
was the swiftest of the three. Some thought that Broken Arrow would be the first
one to return, as he was the bravest of the three. Some thought that Falling
Rock would be the first one to return, as he was the strongest of the three.

Finally, after three weeks, two of the Indians were spotted in the distance.
They were too far away to see exactly who they were. They were running back
toward the Indian village. Each of them were trying to get to the village first.
As they came closer, those in the tribe could now discern that it was Running
Deer and Broken Arrow who were returning. Running Deer proved to be the faster
of the two and returned first to the Indian village. He came back to the village
with his bear skin, eagle feather, and ball of spiderís web. He was to be the
next chief. There was much rejoicing in the Indian village that night.

But, Falling Rock didnít return. After another week, Falling Rock still hadnít
returned from the forest. So, Big Feather arranged for a few search parties to
go out and look for his son and to call him back home since the contest was
over. Running Deer was to be the next chief. But, several weeks of searching
turned up nothing of Falling Rock, not even a trace. A year went by and Falling
Rock still hadnít been seen. Over the next few years, there were a few Indians
who thought they had seen him in the distance, but they werenít exactly sure
that it was him. Though most of the tribe had considered Falling Rock to be
dead, Big Feather had hopes of seeing his son once more. So, he began to post
signs wherever his son had been spotted, in hopes of reminding those Indians to
look out for his son.

As the years went by, Falling Rock was never found. But, the tradition of
placing signs along the road where he has been spotted has continued until this
day. Perhaps you, too, have seen signs along the highway that say, "Watch for
Falling Rock." Have some of you seen those signs along the road? Now, you know
where they came from.

I tell that humorous story to introduce the topic of my sermon this morning. Iím
going to be speaking this morning about "Warning Signs." The theme verse of this
section comes in verse 6, where Jesus said to His disciples, "Watch out and
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." In our text this morning,
we have five warning signs for your life. They may not be on flashing neon
signs, but they are warnings for your life. You need to take heed to them.

As we begin to look at these warning signs, let me remind you that warning signs
are not to be hated. They are to be loved. Warning signs keep you from danger.
Warning signs protect you. Imagine that you are driving along the road and see a
big, yellow diamond-shaped sign with a rounded arrow. You see the sign, and you
slow down to negotiate the turn. If the sign were not there, you might very will
drive too fast and end up crashing over the edge of the road. Imagine that you
are taking a walk in your neighborhood, and you happen upon a sign that says,
"Beware of Dog." You know that it isnít safe to enter the fence. Without the
sign, you may find yourself inside the fence, face to face with a growling
German shepherd. Imagine that you are rummaging through your garage. You happen
upon a bag of fertilizer with a picture of skull and cross-bones with a sign
that says, "poison." Because you saw that sign, you decide to treat the bag very
carefully, washing your hands after you handle it. Without the sign, you may
poison yourself and be sick for a few days.

Warning signs are there to protect you. And so, this morning, my message is for
your protection. Please, donít despise my message this morning. If you do, your
faith is going too fast around the curve. Your faith is entering a fence with a
dangerous rottweiler inside. Your faith is playing with poison. Here is my first
warning....

1. Beware of Missing Jesus (verse 1)

Let me set the context by reading the first four verses of Matthew 16.

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Him asked Him to show them
a sign from heaven. (Matt. 16:1)

In verses 2-4, we see how Jesus responded to them. His response came with a
strong rebuke. He demonstrated how hypocritical they were. He didnít give them a
sign like they had wanted. Listen to what Jesus said, ...

"When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And
in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and
threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot
discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a
sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left
them, and went away. (Matt. 16:2-4).

The reason why they came up to Jesus, "testing Him" is because they missed Him.
They had seen wondrous miracles from the hand of Jesus. They had heard amazing,
authoritative teaching from the mouth of Jesus. They had witnessed tremendous
compassion from the life of Jesus. But, apparently, this wasnít enough. They
wanted more. But, Jesus said that they had already been given enough to discern
that He was the Messiah. Since they didnít embrace the truth of what they
witnessed, Jesus turned His back on them and left. My warning to you church
family is the same: Beware of Missing Jesus.

Oh, you may have never seen Jesus in the flesh. Oh, you may have never seen
Jesus work miracles they these Pharisees and Sadducees had seen. Oh, you may
have never heard the voice of Jesus. But, most of you in this room have heard
clearly the truth of His word. You have heard of His teaching, of His miracles,
and of His compassion. You have heard of how Jesus lived a sinless, perfect
life. You have heard of how He was hated by sinful men, of how He was killed
upon the cross, of how Godís wrath, anger, and hatred for sin was poured out
upon Jesus. You have heard of how by simply looking to Jesus, your sins can be
forgiven, and you can stand before a holy God with no shame and in perfect
purity. You have heard of how you can enjoy God forever. Have you missed Jesus?

There are many people who attend churches, who have missed Jesus. On one
extreme, you have the liberals, who are so interested in social issues, like
world hunger and war, that they have entirely missed the only one who can solve
those problems -- Jesus Christ. On Sundays they pay lip-service to Jesus, but
spend little time reflecting upon the implications of His crucifixion and
resurrection. These are like the Sadducees, who were the theological liberals of
the day. They didnít believe in the supernatural. They denied the afterlife.
They denied the resurrection. They denied angels and spirits. They neglected
much of Scripture, paying most attention to the books of Moses. They functioned
entirely on the earthly plain. They were rationalists, who tried to reason
through everything. They were very involved in politics. They were very willing
to compromise if it meant that they gain from it. I believe that the Sadducees
missed Jesus because He was so much a revolutionary that He was going to disturb
the peace.

On the other extreme, you have the legalists, who are so interested in the
letter of the law, that they have missed the spirit of it entirely. These are
those who are so focused on certain areas of Christian living, that they have
forgotten the purpose of it all. Some are focused on how you dress for church on
Sunday morning. Some are focused on what the style of your music is on Sunday
morning. Some are focused on what version of the Bible you read. Some are
focused on the length of your hair, the length of your dress, the length of your
sermon, and whether or not you have an alter call at the end. Your orthodoxy is
determined by your conformity to their rules and standards. So much focus is
placed upon these things that in practice Jesus is often missed. These are like
the Pharisees who were the theological legalists of the day. They spent hours
and hours studying the intricate details of the law. They wrote volumes of
material on what you were to do, how you were to act, how you were to dress, how
much you were to give, how you were to worship, when you could work, when you
couldnít work, and what constitutes work. In all of these, Jesus rebuked them
for missing the main point. Jesus rebuked them saying, "you tithe mint and dill
and cummin [i.e. the very tiny spices that they had], and have neglected the
weightier provision of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness" (Matt.
23:23).

I ask you again, "Have you missed Jesus?" You may be religious. You may attend
Rock Valley Bible Church on a regular basis. But, you also may easily miss
Jesus. I love the apostle Paul, because Jesus Christ and Him crucified was
everything to Paul. In fact, when Paul went to Corinth, that was his message (1
Cor. 2:2). When you look at the content of Paulís preaching and writing, you'll
see that it always comes back to the crucial importance of the cross in every
area of life. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Wives
are to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ. Workers are to
labor, as serving Jesus. Masters are to treat their workers fairly, because they
too have a Master in heaven. Church members are to "be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven
[them]" (Eph. 4:32).

There are several of us men who are going to begin reading a book by D. Marty
Lloyd-Jones, entitled, The Cross. In this book, he preaches nine sermons on
Galatians 6:14, "May it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ." My desire in this reading in that we would see the cross of
Christ as more and more and more important in our daily lives, that we could get
to the point of saying with the apostle Paul, "I count all things to be loss in
view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). This
is the importance of Jesus. You canít miss Him.

And so, I give you the warning this morning, Beware of Missing Jesus. When we
gathered together yesterday to practice our music for this morning, I was told
by one of our musicians, "I love our first song, because it is what it is all
about." We sang, "Praise the name of Jesus." This is the point! You can't miss
Jesus.

Our second warning this morning is ...

2. Beware of Testing Jesus (verse 1)

I get this warning again from verse 1, where these religious leaders approach
Jesus, "testing Him." This wasnít anything new for these religious leaders. They
were always testing Jesus and trying Jesus. Remember when they brought the man
with the withered hand to Jesus? They did so "in order that they might accuse
Him" (Mark 3:2). When Jesus healed the hand, "The Pharisees went out, and
counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him" (Matthew
12:14). When they questioned Jesus concerning the washing of hands (at the
beginning of chapter 15), I believe that they were attempting to trap Jesus. In
chapter 19, they will come again, testing Jesus about the issue of divorce (see
Mark 10:2). In chapter 22, they will come one last time in trying to "trap Him
in what He said" (Matt. 22:15). They were always trying to find out what they
can do to discredit Jesus. Even while Jesus was hanging upon the cross, the
religious leaders were mocking Jesus, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself.
He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall
believe in Him" (Matt. 27:42). Do you really think that these people would
really have believed Jesus if He had come down from the cross? I donít think so.
It may look like the Pharisees and Sadducees were sincerely seeking to know more
about Jesus. But, they werenít. They were trying to further discredit Jesus.

This is a warning to you all. Donít put God to the test. Never say, "God, if You
will only ..., then I will ..." That is putting God on your terms. But, God has
set up the universe that you are on His terms. God has already set His terms.
The Bible says, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Rom. 10:9).
The promise is this, "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved"
(Romans 10:13). God's terms are that you need to seek Him by faith. When you
come to God, come to Him on His terms. They have been established clearly in His
word. You simply need to trust it.

Skeptics abound in this world of ours. People are always trying to seek more
proof for God. People are always trying to test Him to see if He really is
there. I read this week of a new book that was recently printed. It's called The
Probability of God, and was written by Dr. Stephen Unwin "who used 200-year-old
formula to calculate the probability of the existence of an omnipotent being."
He began with the assumption that God has a 50/50 chance of existing, and then
factored in the evidence both for and against the notion of a higher being. Dr.
Unwin said that the recognition of goodness makes the existence of God more
likely, but that the existence of natural evil (like earthquakes and cancer)
decrease the probability that God exists. By his calculations, he figures that
there is a 67% chance that God exists, though Dr. Unwin, himself, is 95%
sure.[1] You can see how flowed his calculations were simply by considering that
God brings calamities to accomplish his purpose. To accomplish His purpose, God
uses things like plagues in the time the exodus, drought in the time of Elijah,
and fire and brimstone in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah. The sad thing about
this book is that its author is a welcomed speaker in churches today.

That type of book might appear to bring credibility to God, it really doesnít.
Rather, it brings shame upon the Lord of the Universe, who has clearly
demonstrated that He exists. Listen to Psalm 19:1-2, "The heavens are telling of
the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to
day pours fourth speech, and night to night reveals wisdom." Every time you look
up at the sun, it is teaching you of the glory of God. Every time you look up at
the stars at night, it is teaching you of the glory of God. "Since the creation
of the world, ... His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen,
being understood through what has been made ... so that [men] are without
excuse" (Romans 1:20). God has revealed Himself. He doesnít need to be proved.
You simply need to look to the heavens. ... This leads us nicely into our next
warning sign.

3. Beware of Seeking Signs from Jesus (verses 2-4)

Like Dr. Unwin, these religious leaders wanted some proof from Jesus to really
demonstrate His power. In this instance, they requested that Jesus show them a
"sign from heaven" (verse 1). You almost get the idea from these religious
people that the earthly signs that Jesus had done for them were simply not
enough to satisfy them. They wanted to see more! Rather than being satisfied
with seeing "the dumb speaking, [and] the crippled restored, [and] the lame
walking, and the blind seeing" (Matt. 15:31), they wanted to see more. They
wanted to see something from heaven. Now, they didnít say exactly what they were
wanting Jesus to do. Perhaps they wanted to see Manna come down from heaven
again, as in the days of Moses (Exodus 16:1-7). Perhaps they wanted the sun to
stand still and the moon to stop for an entire day, as in the days of Joshua
(Joshua 10:12-14). Perhaps they wanted Jesus to send thunder and rain upon
command, as in the days of Samuel (1 Sam. 12:16-18). Perhaps they wanted Jesus
to move a shadow backwards upon the stairway, as in the days of Hezekiah (Isaiah
38:8). We don't know what they wanted, but I think the point of asking something
from heaven is for the sign to be big and demonstrate who Jesus was without a
doubt.

The way that Jesus responds is quite instructive. He first complements them on
what wonderful weathermen they are. They can look to the sky to see and
understand what the day will be like. They ought to be on channel 13 on the
television each evening! Jesus said, "When it is evening, you say, ĎIt will be
fair weather, for the sky is red.í And in the morning, ĎThere will be a storm
today, for the sky is red and threateningí" (verses 2-3). Today, we say it this
way: "Red at night, sailorís delight. Red in the morning, sailorís warning."

And then, Jesus rebukes them, "Do you know how to discern the appearance of the
sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?" (verse 3). Jesus was saying,
"Canít you see and understand what I am doing? I am working wondrous miracles. I
am doing them in your very midst. Remember when we were in Peterís house and the
paralytic was lowered down through the roof? You saw Him! He walked home!
Remember the leprous man? I healed Him. Remember when you confronted me in the
synagogue with the man with a withered hand? I made his hand completely healthy.
I have given sight to the blind. I have given hearing to the deaf. Havenít you
read Isaiahís prophesy? When these things take place, it indicates the dawning
of the Messianic Age has come upon you! You can look at the sky and predict
tomorrow. Why won't you look at the wondrous miracles that I am doing and
discern the times? You may be good weathermen, but you are terrible
theologians!"

And in verse 4, Jesus really lays into them. Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous
generation seeks after a sign!"

There is this brand of Christianity that is always seeking after a sign. Some
seek religious experiences. They want to be moved to greater and greater
experiences with God. They want to see miracles. They want to see tongues. They
want to see the supernatural. Now, there is nothing inherently wrong in
experiencing the great power of God in your life. But, the problem is that some
are so consumed with their experiences, that they live their life seeking the
experiences. They soon discover that experience never satisfies. Experience
always wants more. The next miracle crusade needs to be bigger and more
spectacular than the one before it. Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous
generation seeks after a sign" (verse 4).

Some seek prophetic fulfillment. There are those who are so consumed with
wanting to see a great sign, that they are consumed by seeking the fulfillment
of prophetic events. They are always looking in the newspaper, searching for
fulfilled prophesy. Again, this isn't wrong in principle. We ought to understand
our times in light of Biblical revelation. The problem here is that it then
becomes all consuming. All that is important to these people is prophesy. ...
And they are almost always wrong.

When I was growing up, the talk was that Russia, coming from the north, was led
by Gorbachev who must be the anti-Christ. The end of the cold war proved that to
be untrue. In the last decade, it has been Iraq. Saddam Hussein is the
anti-Christ. The war this past year put an end to that one. Now, the talk is on
North Korea or China. It keeps going and going. People are seeking a sign of the
end. Jesus said, "many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many"
(Matthew 24:11). Do you know who are misled today? The sign-seekers are misled.
Y2K really clarified this issue in my mind. It is not an accident that the
prophesy experts were the same ones who predicted that Y2K would be an upcoming
disaster. It is not an accident that those seeking prophetic fulfillment were
the very ones who were led astray during Y2K. It is not an accident that those
same prophesy experts are continuing to predict the future today, though they
have already proven themselves to be false prophets. Jesus said, "An evil and
adulterous generation seeks after a sign" (verse 4).

When Jesus confronted these Pharisees and Sadducees, he said, "a sign will not
be given it, except the sign of Jonah" (verse 4). Earlier in Matthew, Jesus
spoke about the sign of Jonah. (You can read about it in Matthew 12:39-41.)
Jesus links Jonah to the resurrection. "Just as Jonah was three days and three
nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days
and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40). The resurrection of
Jesus Christ was the one last sign that these Pharisees and Sadducees would all
see. Jesus said to these religious leaders, "The sign of Jonah is the only sign
that you will get." And then He left, which is what verse 4 says, "And He left
them, and went away." The sign-seekers were left in their tracks to await the
clear evidence of the resurrection, which, by the way, they never saw. Isnít it
fitting that those who were seeking great signs, missed the greatest sign of
all: Jesus raising from the dead!

As we come to verse 5, Matthew turns our attention away from the Pharisees and
Sadducees and now we focus upon the disciples. This warning comes more closely
to home. Let me give you a fourth warning sign.

4. Beware of Distrusting Jesus (verses 5-11)

Beginning in verse 5, we read, "And the disciples came to the other side and had
forgotten to take bread." Perhaps these disciples had left quickly and didnít
have time to plan ahead for their journey. We donít know exactly why. But, now,
they are on the shore without any bread to eat. Perhaps there was some
conversation about what they were going to eat. I know what my children say when
we forget to bring bread. "Dad! Can we go to Burger King?" (they love to play on
the play set in the Burger King near our house.) In Jesus' day, they didnít have
Burger King or McDonalds or Wendyís back then. But, there were bakers who would
sell them bread.

The disciples were probably in the midst of discussing where to go and get bread
when Jesus picked up a bit on their discussions and their plans. And so, he used
the metaphor of bread to issue another warning. He said, "Watch out and beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (verse 6). Now, these disciples
were still thinking food. They interpreted Jesusí statement to mean that they
couldnít purchase their bread from the shops owned by the Pharisees and
Sadducees. Verse 7 says, "And they began to discuss among themselves, saying,
'It is because we took no bread.'" In other words, they are discussing that
Jesus is telling us where to get bread. In Mexico, you donít drink the water. In
this area of Galilee, you donít support your local Pharisees and Sadducees. The
disciples are trying to find a place that has bread and is not owned by a
Pharisee or Sadducee. Jesus was probably shaking His head in disgust, as they
simply didnít understand.

In verse 8, Jesus said, "You men of little faith." (verse 8). This is not the
first time they had failed to trust Jesus. When the storm raged on the sea, and
Jesus was sleeping in the boat, the disciples cried out, "Save us Lord, we are
perishing." Jesus said, "Why are you timid, you men of little faith?" (Matt.
8:26). In another storm, Jesus walked on the water and encountered his
struggling disciples. Peter recognized Jesus and began to walk on the water
also. But the waves around Him filled him with terror. He said, "Lord! Save me!"
Jesus said, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matt. 14:31). In
Matthew 17, we will see the disciples trying to cast out a demon from a little
boy, but are unable to do it. The disciples asked why they were unable cast out
the demon. Jesus replies, "Because of the littleness of your faith." (Matt.
17:20). These disciples didnít trust Jesus. Sure, they had no bread. Sure, they
had to go purchase bread. Sure, it needed their attention. But, they forgot who
was with them.! They were with Jesus. And when you are with Jesus, you have no
worries of being without bread.

At our house, you have no worries of being without cookies. From time to time we
often have unexpected visitors stop by. When they come by and are welcomed into
our home and we are seated in our family room, an amazing thing takes place.
Fresh cookies appear. Yvonne knows that we will have unexpected visitors. So,
she has some prepared cookie dough in the freezer, which simply needs to be
placed into the oven for fresh cookies. With Jesus you need not fear that you
wonít have enough bread. Jesus begins the inquisition, ...

"... why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? Do you not yet
understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many
baskets you took up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many
large baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand that I did not
speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees." (Matt. 16:8-11)

We addressed these verses a bit last week, so I donít feel much need to delve
into them in much detail. I simply review for you my main point: It is easy to
forget the provision of God in the past. It is hard to believe that He will
provide again in the future. The disciples of Jesus had "little-faith" (verse
8). Though God had provided for them in miraculous ways in the past (he fed
multitudes of 5,000 and 4,000), they didnít trust Him for their future. Faith
isnít only something that saves you. Faith is what keeps you going and trusting
and living each day for the glory of God. These disciples should have trusted
Jesus. They should have said, "Jesus, we donít have any bread. You know that we
need bread. What would you like for us to do? Shall we go out tonight? Or, are
You going to make dinner?

Beware of distrusting Jesus. Listen to Romans 8:32,"He who did not spare His own
Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give
us all things?" Do you believe that Jesus died for you? Then believe that Jesus
will provide for you! You need to trust Jesus.

Letís focus our attention now upon our last warning sign...

5. Beware of Straying from Jesus (verse 12)

I get this from verse 12,

Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but
of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matt. 16:12)

This takes us back to the real meaning of verse 6, "Watch out and beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The word "leaven" means "influence". In
Scripture, it is often--but not always--used to indicate an evil influence.
Beware of the influence and teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus is
warning the disciples, telling them to trust His words and not the words of the
Pharisees or Sadducees. If you listen to the Pharisees or Sadducees, you will be
influenced by them. Their doctrine is dangerous. They will lead you astray.

The Sadducees, with their complete denial of an afterlife, will lead you astray
in this life. The Pharisees, with their consuming focus on living according to
the tradition of the elders, will lead you astray. Simply read through the
gospel narratives and you will discover how often the teaching of Jesus clashed
with the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees grumbled that
Jesus would go to be with the sinners and call them to repentance (Matt.
9:10-13). They were disturbed that Jesus didnít fast like they did, twice per
week (Matt. 9:14-17; Luke 18:12). They claimed that Jesus was casting out demons
by the power of demons (Matt. 9:34; 12:24). They were raging mad when Jesusí
disciples transgressed their own understanding of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-14).
They pointed out when Jesusí disciples didnít wash their hands when they ate
with unwashed hands (Matt. 15:1-9). They tried to trap Jesus with His view on
divorce and taxes (Matt. 19:3-12; 22:15-22). They questioned His authority
(Matt. 21:23-46). We donít have a much data about Jesusí interaction with the
Sadducees, but they joined right in when appropriate. They sought to attack
Jesus on His views of the resurrection (Matt. 22:23-33).

These religious leaders were always trying to pull away from the teaching of
Jesus. But, you need to pay close attention to the words of Jesus and the words
of His apostles. Donít fall short, like the Sadducees. Donít go beyond, like the
Pharisees. One of the most helpful tools to Bible study that I have ever
received is called, "the line of Scripture." Suppose that the truth of Scripture
is represented by a yard stick. There are some, who would fall short of the
teaching of Scripture. They can be represented by a 12 inch ruler. They are
often called liberals. There are things in the Bible that they refuse to
believe. Thus, they don't measure up the full 36 inches. There are other people,
who would go way beyond the teaching of Scripture. They can be represented by a
6 foot board. They are often called legalists. They agree that the Bible is a
good start, but you need more rules to cover every area of your life. Thus, they
go far beyond the 36 inches of the yard stick.

You need to stay away from both these dangers. You need to be a yard stick.
Believe what the Bible says. Stop where the Bible is silent. The best way to
combat error is to love your Bible. I use that word, "love" intentionally. It
isn't enough simply to study your Bible. There are plenty of people who study
their Bibles and have gone astray, through their intellectual pursuits. You need
to "love your Bible." It need to be your treasure and your delight and your joy.
Of course, this will lead you to read it and study it. And if you have a love
for your Bible, you will pray over it and following it and obey it. If you do
these things, you will be led to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith
(Heb. 12:2). He will satisfy you and He will protect you from the error of the
liberals and the legalists.

I want to close with a story about an experience I had with my car. Itís not a
good car story. Itís a bad car story. A little over two years ago, I was driving
around in my car and my battery light on my dashboard turned on. Over the next
several weeks, the battery light would go on, but sometimes it would go off. I
didnít think much of it, especially since my car continued to work correctly.
For those of you who are mechanically inclined, you know what was happening. For
those of you who arenít, like me, Iíll tell you what was happening. My
alternator was going out. The alternator allows the engine to charge your car
battery, so that you can start your car, use your headlights, listen to the
radio, and run your heater. Anyway, the sign on my dashboard was alerting me of
this. But, I ignored it. Eventually it got to the point that every time that I
drove the car, the battery light was on. But, as I had been driving the car for
weeks without any problem, I didnít think that there was much wrong.

Well, my mother-in-law flew out to see us from California. She landed about 8pm
at night. I remember that night well. It was early January and about 10 degrees
below zero outside. Since it was a long time since she had seen her
grandchildren, I decided to take Carissa with me. I drove to OíHare to pick her
up. The drive into the airport went just fine. The battery light was on the
entire time, but I just ignored it. We went into the airport and picked up my
mother-in-law. She was delighted to see Carissa. She was excited about spending
a few weeks in cold Illinois with us. But as we were driving home, I noticed
that my dashboard lights were getting dimmer and dimmer. Furthermore, I noticed
that my headlights werenít very bright either. So, here I am, driving down I-90
and realizing what was happening. Iím losing power. At that point, I knew what
the warning sign had been alerting me of.

Eventually, I pulled off the side of the road. Imagine the situation. Itís 9pm.
Itís 10 degrees below zero outside. There I was, with my mother-in-law and my 7
year old daughter in the car. The battery was totally dead. The car wouldnít
start. I didnít even have enough power to turn on my hazard lights. I didnít
have a cell phone. I couldnít call anybody. I tried to flag down somebody.
Finally, I did. They were very gracious and allowed me to charge my battery.
But, again, not being a mechanic, I didnít realize the kind of charge that I
would need. They charged my car for about 15 minutes. I figured that my battery
would be fully charged by then. I could probably get back to Rockford. But, what
I didnít know was that it would take me another 10 minutes down the road. The
same scenario took place. I noticed that my dashboard lights were getting dimmer
and dimmer. My headlights were getting dim. I had enough speed to take me
through the Roselle Exit and through the toll-booth, where I pulled over to the
side.

To make a long story short, I borrowed someoneís cell phone and called my
brother-in-law, who lived nearby. He came to the rescue. It was a long night. I
had acted very foolishly. I got into trouble because I had ignored my battery
light. I had ignored the warning sign that was intended for my good.

If you ignore these warning signs from Matthew 16:1-12 that I have laid out
before you this morning, you may very well find yourself out in the cold
someday. Oh, perhaps it may not be right away, but someday, you will be in
trouble. So, as you drive down the path of life, I urge you, I plead with you, I
beg you to pay attention to these signs. They are for your good.